All-Ireland Junior camogie quarter-final
Ballymacnab (Armagh) 1-11 Tara (London) 2-7
IT HAS been a busy but successful weekend for Armagh champions Ballymacnab. Having won their first Ulster club title on Friday evening with a 2-4 to 2-2 win over Banagher, they edged home in Glenavy on Sunday against Tara from London.But if anyone had said after the first quarter that this game was going to be a nail-biter, not many would have believed it for Ballymacnab looked to be coasting after dominating the play and going into a 1-6 to 0-2 lead.
Eimear Smyth and Aoibhinn O’Hare were troubling the visitors’ defence while the half-back line of Louise Toner and the Crillys pinned Tara back into their own half.Aoife Crilly’s shot for a point from out on the wing wasn’t properly cleared in the 8th minute and Aoibhinn O’Hare fired home from 20 metres. There then followed a run of five points in five minutes from three Eimear Smyth frees, Emma McParland and Shelly McArdle.Claire Ryan had scored Tara’s two points, both from frees, and the only threat coming from Tara seemed to be Loughgiel’s Laura Connolly who had a superb game at midfield.The game turned however after 20 minutes when another free from Ryan dropped around the goal area and Kerry Sommers swept it home. Connolly added an excellent point and the London side were just three points down at the break, 1-6 to 1-3.
The arrival of sub Tessa Crowley to midfield lifted Tara for the second half. She was involved in the three scores that brought her side back into contention after Smyth had opened the half with two pointed frees for Ballymacnab.Crowley pointed frees in the 10th and 19th minute but a third effort in between fell short and again Kerry Sommers was on hand to find the net. Thus the teams were level 2-5 to 1-8 with ten minutes remaining. Smyth, from a free, and Connolly swopped points, but a Tara defender was penalised for a high tackle for an easy point for Smyth with Aoibhinn O’Hara bursting through for a second score.
Tara sub Paula Dunne scored an excellent point in reply, but time ran out for the exiles and Ballymacnab claimed their place in next month’s All-Ireland semi-final by the narrowest of margins.
Ballymacnab : C Toner, M O’Toole, T Maguire, A McParland, L Toner, A Crilly, C Crilly, D McKee, Á Maguire, M McAleavey, M McArdle 0-1, A O’Hare 1-1, E McParland 0-1, E Smyth 0-8 frees, E McKee 1-0.Subs : L Smith for D McKee (30), M McParland for E Mckee (53), M McCone for L Toner (48), G Gray for A Crilly (62).
Tara : L Hawkes, E Kelly, C Killeen, A Flynn, J Traynor, S mcNicholl, A O’Meara, K O’Keefe, F Morrisey capt., E Hogan, C Ryan 0-2 frees, L Connolly 0-2, K Sommers 2-0, S Glynn, H Murphy.Subs : P Dunne 0-1 for K O’Keefe (HT), T Crowley 0-2 frees for J Traynor (33).Referee : P McDonnell (Cavan).
Pics by Bert Trowlen
